Idiom idiom
there was
Meaning
You use 'there was' to say that one thing existed somewhere or at some time in the past. For more than one thing, you use 'there were'.
Examples
“There was a cat in the garden.”
“When I arrived at the party, there was a long line of people waiting to get inside.”
“Although the old house appeared abandoned, there was a faint light flickering in the attic window that suggested someone remained inside.”
Last updated April 22, 2026